The American Cement Association (ACA) has raised its 2026 US cement consumption forecast, despite lowering its outlook for construction spending, as improving cement intensity offsets weaker market conditions.
In its Summer Forecast Update, the ACA said the long-awaited recovery in cement demand has been delayed by persistently high interest rates, with the Federal Reserve now expected to keep rates unchanged until September 2027. Nevertheless, the association believes US cement volumes have bottomed out and are no longer expected to decline further.
The ACA expects both residential and non-residential cement consumption to return to growth in 2027, led by a gradual recovery in single-family housing, while data centre construction is forecast to remain a key source of demand. However, uncertainty over future US surface transportation funding is expected to weigh on public construction, with declines in highway, sewer and water projects forecast before growth resumes in 2028.
Overall, the association expects only modest growth in cement consumption in 2027, followed by stronger gains in 2028 as residential, non-residential and public construction all contribute to demand.
